Final Report to the Federal Highway Administration by the Coalition for Recreational Trails

Documenting Accomplishments of the Recreational Trails Program

Appendix B
Great Outdoors Week '99 Event Description

Event: TEA-21 at Work for America's Outdoors: The Trails and Scenic Byways Legacy

Date: June 9, 1999

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 am; 11:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location: Rayburn House Office Building - Room 2168 (morning program) and Room 8369 (afternoon program)

Program: Among the TEA-21 programs of great benefit to recreation are the Recreational Trails Program and the National Scenic Byways Program. Both programs were created by ISTEA but were expanded and improved with enactment of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. To celebrate the continuation and improvement of the programs - and the first anniversary of TEA-21 - the Congressional Task Force on Scenic Byways, the Congressional Trails Caucus, and the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus joined the Coalition for Recreational Trails and the American Recreation Coalition in sponsoring an exhibit and briefing for interested Members of Congress in conjunction with Great Outdoors Week '99. This event was moderated by Tony Kane, Executive Director of the Federal Highway Administration. The program included videotaped remarks from Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, an enthusiastic supporter of both programs, and comments from leaders of the three Congressional organizations: Representatives Sam Farr, Doug Bereuter and Mark Foley. Displays for both programs were highlighted and information on projects funded under both programs was available. Brief presentations were made by four states, two each describing projects funded under the two programs. Recreational trails were covered by Jeff Cook for Idaho and Jim Schmid for South Carolina. Scenic byways were covered by Dennis Adams for Minnesota and Ruth Hawkins for Arkansas.

The Recreational Trails Program was given additional Capitol Hill exposure during a second event designed to recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the program. Representatives Tom Petri and Nick Joe Rahall and Federal Highway Administrator Ken Wykle joined Coalition for Recreational Trails Co-Chair Dean Tice in presenting the awards. Senator Barbara Boxer and Representatives James Rogan and John Thune also participated in the afternoon awards event.